Easter #1 and Easter #2

Same baby, same basket, same bunny...

pixels have been fixeled.

I got my photos fixed in the etsy shop (thanks to Gabe) so check it out again. Still some things to do. I need to figure out how to add a banner to the top of my shop, and some other stuff here and there. I'm not sure if you have to sign up (which is no big deal, by the way :) in order to mark that you "I heart" my shop, but if you have a minute, I'd appreciate it!

etsyyyyyyyy!

Whew. I'm not going to take the time right now to update you on all the goings on around here for the last few weeks, but I will later. Really quick: I finally started an etsy shop (which I've been wanting to do for a couple of years). My etsy shop can be found at THIS address, and it's called Bring About Art. Check it out and mark that you love it :) Pay no attention to some of the poor-quality photos...I'll get around to fixing that soon. Speaking of that...if YOU have any brilliantly creative (or just more so than what I've got) ideas for displaying my bracelets in my photos, please do share!

You can also see Bring About in Aspen this month at the Aspen Eco Fest where I'll be showing (and hopefully selling) some of my furniture. If not, well, then you can't really put a value on good experience can you??

Promise to add some pictures of the peanut soon!

RAAAh! Mister, you need to LOOK OUT.

I saw a guy on a bike get hit by a guy in a car today. (!) He's okay. I just had to proclaim it somewhere, 'cause I've never seen anyone get hit by a car before.

A better, visual update

Today was a beautiful day---I'm referring both to the weather and the company. Our little fam went to the park today:

Ellis decided sliding backwards down the slide on her tum was the most fun:

Lots of walking practice (other than a couple of independent steps here and there, Ellis is still working on the walking thing):

She LO-OO-Oves the swings:

But sometimes the swinging can make a girl feel a little loopy:

This is the poor sleepy, sick girl from last week :( She slept on my lap for TWO hours...which maybe explains my lackluster expression, even though I loved her cuddliness:

Zoo trip with Amanda and Jude (after 7 months we FINALLY got it together and met sweet little (and by little I mean, five pounds bigger than Ellis and 5 months younger :) Jude:

When you're running a fever, the fewer clothes the better. Ellis wanted to take the diaper off too, but that's where I drew the line:

This was Valentine's Day. Ellis made this sweet Valentine for you all, but her mama was sick and too tired to find the camera cord in order to post it. Surry.

Meager update

Have you ever had someone annoying stick around for four weeks straight, and then their even more offensive friend decides to join in on the unwelcome visit? I have. I'm experiencing it as we speak. Maybe you've met Sinus Infection and her good friend Pneumonia. Ellis and I have been invaded. Because of these unwelcome intruders, I've neglected this blog (as well as my laundry, floors, carpets, bathrooms, kitchen surfaces...you get me?) Four weeks ago I lost my voice, and then over the course of the next few days all available space inside my head was filled with mucus. Last weekend Ellis starting running some pretty high fevers. Two doctors visits, one chest x-ray, three vials of blood drawn, and her fair share of baby tylenol later we are now treating her for PNEUMONIA. Yes, the same pneumonia your mother warns you about catching when you go outside without a coat. Ellis is tired a little more often but otherwise seems to be feeling fine again and her fevers have stopped, thank goodness. I feel a bit better, but am thrilled to see the light at the end of this snot-filled tunnel. It's about four days away.

I'll try to put up some new pictures soon. When my house is cleaner. And my nose is not so red and runny.

Oh--and I decided to enter an art/craft fair that runs the 25th-27th of this month. I am scrambling to produce enough furniture and fabric bracelets to not embarrass myself. I may be in over my head, but only by a little.

11 bracelets made. 89 to go. (that's my goal, anyway)

2 pieces of furniture partially sanded. 3 more to go...plus finishing the first two...plus drawing...plus sealing...pray for me.

Drum roll, please...

After a mere 10 months (ha)...

I finally finished the top of our table (the legs still need some work...) and sealed it so once again, we can use our table for more than stacking clean laundry!

I love how it turned out, and I plan on doing some more pieces and I HOPE to sell them at some point, somewhere, some how.

Party time!

Here are a couple of shots from the girly's party:

Apparently one of Ellis' first two teeth is the sweet tooth she inherited from yours truly.

In a perfect world...

Well, if you'd asked me a month or two ago, I would have told you we were going to have a giant bash that couldn't be beat in honor of Ellis' first birthday. I started searching for the perfect theme and decided we'd celebrate 50's-style, with poodle skirts and all. I bought a little poodle applique to attach to the poodle skirt I was going to sew for Ellis. I casually began to spread the word to anyone around to get their kids' 50's costumes ready, for we were going to party like it was 1999, or 1959, or whatever.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago. I realized a few things: a) There was no way I was going to pull together an extravagant theme party for Ellis in time for her first birthday, b) We live in a rather small home ("cozy" as everyone who enters remarks) and thus simply cannot host more than a dozen people comfortably, and c) Big parties cost big money.

Because of this reality check, I cut down the vision, the budget and the guest list---and I've harbored guilt daily ever since these decisions were made. There are a number of important people who have seen Ellis on a regular, frequent basis throughout this past year, and there are a number of important people who for one reason or another haven't. I wanted the day to be fun for Ellis, and I wanted her to see the people she's familiar with, so that was that.

Now, my hope is that if you were in the latter group that you're thinking to yourself some version of the following: "What's the big deal, Brooke? Honestly, I'm relieved I didn't have to go buy a gift and spend a Saturday crammed into your small house like a sardine while making small talk with someone I don't know and wondering when we're going to get some cake already?"

If you didn't feel that way and feel slighted in the least, please accept my sincere apology. My intent was in no way to hurt feelings. In a perfect world, I would have been able to accommodate all of the people I hold near and dear in one place while not freaking out my now-one-year-old and not requiring people to sit on laps in order to fit on the furniture or be so cramped for standing room that they have to ride on the shoulders of their spouse and chicken fight for a seat in the first place.

Next year Ellis will be more accustomed to the over-stimulation inherent in a child's birthday party and even if we have to rent out a public space, we're having a blow-out party for all who can attend. Because sometimes that's just fun. And I can't handle this guilt again.

Thank you for all of the birthday wishes for Ellis. She had a great two days of birthday fun. I'll post some pictures soon.

This ends my public service announcement/apology.

Happy birthday, sweet girl

What a difference a year can make. You all told me the time will fly, and it has---leaving me teary-eyed more than once today.

Ellis, watching you grow and loving you through each of the last 365 days has provided us with more joy than we could have ever imagined.

I love your sense of humor and your hearty laugh. I love your kisses. I love how easily you smile and get excited. I love how you love to make us laugh. I love the way you say "Hi-ee" to everyone and everything. You have such a friendly spirit. I love how you have just become Ellis.

I cherished our morning together, and the afternoon with the three of us. Happy birthday, lovely little 1 year old.